Armstrong World Industries, Inc.

Overview

Armstrong World Industries (AWI) designs, manufactures, and sources interior and exterior architectural products, including ceilings, specialty walls, and exterior metal solutions. Production materials include mineral fiber, fiberglass, metal, felt, architectural resin, glass, wood, wood fiber, and glass-reinforced gypsum. AWI produces ceiling suspension system (grid) products through a 50/50 joint venture with Worthington Enterprises called Worthington Armstrong Venture (WAVE).

AWI reports results across three segments: Mineral Fiber, Architectural Specialties, and Unallocated Corporate.

Business segments

• Mineral Fiber

  • Includes AWI’s ceiling systems and AWI’s share of WAVE (50% equity interest).
  • Covers mineral fiber ceilings, fiberglass ceilings, related ceiling components and grids.
  • Includes assets and liabilities not allocated to other segments, including headquarters depreciation.

• Architectural Specialties

  • Designs, produces, and sources specialty ceilings, walls, and other interior and exterior architectural applications.
  • Materials include metal, felt, architectural resin and glass, wood, wood fiber, and glass-reinforced gypsum.
  • Primarily project-driven; sold to direct customers, ceiling systems contractors, and resale distributors.

• Unallocated Corporate

  • Includes corporate assets and liabilities such as cash, the equity position in Overcast Innovations LLC, retirement plan funded status, fair value of interest rate swaps, and senior secured debt.

Products and channels

• Mineral Fiber

  • Ceiling systems (mineral fiber and fiberglass) offering acoustical performance, fire protection, energy efficiency, and sustainability features.
  • WAVE manufactures and sells suspension system grid products; WAVE sells some products to AWI for resale.
  • Customers: resale distributors, ceiling systems contractors, wholesalers, and retailers (including large home centers).

• Architectural Specialties

  • Specialty ceilings, walls, and exterior applications focused on acoustical control, fire protection, lighting integration, aesthetics, energy conservation, and building performance.
  • Primary channels: direct customers, ceiling systems contractors, and resale distributors; revenues are project-driven.

Facilities and footprint

• Headquarters: 100-acre multi-building campus in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
• Manufacturing: 22 AWI plants (as of December 31, 2025); WAVE operates seven additional U.S. plants.
• Facility ownership: 14 plants leased, 8 owned.
• Geographic markets: United States, Canada, and Latin America.

Workforce and labor

• Total employees: approximately 3,800 full-time and part-time (as of December 31, 2025); 3,600 in 2024.
• U.S. production employees: about 1,700; approximately 54% represented by labor unions.
• Collective bargaining agreements cover roughly 260 employees at one U.S. plant, with agreements expiring in 2026.

Customers and sales mix

• Building materials distributors represented about 63% of consolidated net sales in 2025.
• Home center customers accounted for about 7% of consolidated net sales in 2025.
• Remaining sales were to direct customers, independent retailers, national accounts, and online channels.
• Sales to Lowe’s (including Foundation Building Materials) and The Home Depot (including GMS) each exceeded 10% of consolidated gross sales in 2025.
• Distributor landscape changes in 2025 included GMS, Inc. being acquired by Home Depot and Foundation Building Materials being acquired by Lowe’s.

Acquisitions and affiliates

• 2025: Parallel (FGM-Parallel LLC) — externally designed/extruded aluminum products for exterior architectural applications; included in Architectural Specialties.
• 2025: Geometrik Manufacturing, Inc. — wood acoustical ceiling and wall systems; included in Architectural Specialties.
• 2024: Zahner Company — exterior metal architectural solutions; included in Architectural Specialties.
• 2024: 3form, LLC (from Hunter Douglas) — architectural resin and glass products for specialty walls, partitions, and ceilings; included in Architectural Specialties.
• 2024: Overcast Innovations LLC — strategic partnership/equity investment (initial 19.5%, currently ~19.2%); Overcast provides prefabricated ceiling cloud systems, modular grid platforms, and engineering design services; included in Unallocated Corporate.
• 2023: Insolcorp, LLC (partial acquisition) — energy-saving products for building and roofing; included in Mineral Fiber.
• 2023: BOK Modern, LLC — exterior metal architectural solutions; included in Architectural Specialties.

Markets and competition

• Core end markets: commercial construction and renovation across office, education, healthcare, transportation, and retail sectors.
• Product attributes emphasized: acoustics, energy efficiency, sustainability, fire protection, and design flexibility.
• Competes with other manufacturers of ceilings, walls, and exterior metal solutions, as well as alternative approaches such as drywall and open plenum systems.

Intellectual property

• Maintains a portfolio of patents, trademarks, designs, copyrights, trade secrets, and licenses.
• Key trademarks include Armstrong®, 3form®, Sustain®, Templok®, Total Acoustics®, WoodWorks®, and Zahner®.
• Licensing arrangements remain in place from historical divestitures, including a perpetual, royalty-free license to use the Armstrong trade name and logo with AFI and royalty/license terms tied to other transactions.

Sustainability

• Program pillars:
  • Healthy and Circular Products: reduce chemicals of concern, water use, and carbon footprint; improve product circularity and recycling (including ceiling tile recycling).
  • Healthy Planet: reduce greenhouse gas emissions, water use, and operational waste; pursue renewable electricity where feasible.
  • Thriving People and Communities: promote safe workplaces, diversity and inclusion, employee well-being, and human rights.
• AWI publishes a Sustainability Report and discloses progress toward 2030 sustainability goals.

Financial and operational highlights

• Net sales mix by channel (2025): ~63% via building materials distributors; ~7% via home centers; remainder via direct/customers/retailers/national accounts/online.
• Employees: ~3,800 total (as of 12/31/2025); ~1,700 U.S. production employees; ~54% union-represented among U.S. production staff.
• Plants: 22 AWI manufacturing plants; WAVE operates 7 additional plants.
• Facility ownership: 14 leased, 8 owned.
• Headquarters: Lancaster, Pennsylvania.